


The Q who lived

by thephoenixmage1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, M/M, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Skyfall, Weasley Family Bashing (Harry Potter), Wizards are homophobic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:13:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22340860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephoenixmage1/pseuds/thephoenixmage1
Summary: When James first met Q, he wasn't convinced that the young man could handle been Quartermaster to some of the most dangerous people around.  He is about to learn that when it comes to handling dangerous, deadly people, Q has plenty of experience.
Relationships: James Bond/Harry Potter, James Bond/Q
Comments: 54
Kudos: 518





	1. Hogsmede

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah Ok, there are other stories I should be working on and I have a terrible track record for finishing stuff I've started. I've had a bad case of writer's block for so long now though. Deal with it. No idea where I'm really going with this as always. Yes Hogsmege is a wizarding only community, doesn't mean a muggle couldn't visit. Or at least that's the excuse I'm going with.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Q takes James to a tiny little village not far from Skyfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight Edit, I realised I had written in the wrong Weasley twin, it's George who lives, not Fred.
> 
> Second edit, I realised I needed to add in Aberforth's surname

James Bond sat back in the back of a medic truck silently watching as MI5 and MI6 swarmed around the burning wreckage that had been his family home. A thermo blanket was helping to keep the hypothermia at bay. He'd been dried off and patched up but right now most people were busy with the clean up job. He contemplated doing a disappearing act, just for a couple of days, but couldn't seem to muster the energy. It took him awhile to realise that Q was standing nearby waiting for him to notice. As soon as Q knew he had James's attention Q gave a little nod of acknowledgement and came over.

"007." Q greeted.  
"Q." James gave a slight nod back. Q studied him a moment, green eyes assessing his injuries from behind his glasses.  
"Would you like to get out of here?" Q asked after a moment, apparently satisfied that he wasn't to badly hurt.  
"Yes." James agreed instantly, relief sweeping over him in an instant. Q smiled slightly, looking pleased with himself that he'd guessed correctly.

"Come on then. I'll let Eve know I'm kidnapping you until at least tomorrow." Q reached into a pocket to fetch out a phone, his fingers dancing across the screen as James gingerly got to his feet.  
James followed Q and lifted an eyebrow when Q stopped at a battered looking blue Ford Anglia, but silently got in the passenger seat. There were a few unfamiliar knobs and buttons but given who Q was, this was actually strangely re-assuring. James clicked in his seat belt as listened as Q started the car up.

"What on earth have you done to this thing?" He asked as the car rattled and coughed into life.  
"It wasn't actually me," Q gave him a slightly embarrassed smile, "I just fixed it up a bit."  
"Someone you trust I hope." James said a bit doubtfully. Something flickered over Q's face.  
"I did, once."  
James studied Q a moment as Q got the car into drive and headed to the nearest road. He liked to think he had a good instinct for danger but while he had the distinct impression he shouldn't ask, none of his instincts were on alert. After all, who in MI6 didn't have a past they rather kept quiet and a skeleton of two in the closet?

The drive remained quiet until Q was pulling into a little village James didn't even know existed out here.  
"What is this place?" He asked.  
"It's called Hogsmede, not many people know its here." Q said as he pulled in next to a dodgy looking place, the 'Hog's Head Inn' according to the sign.  
"Q, are you sure about this?" James asked as he looked around a bit wearily.  
"Just, trust me." Q told him as he walked toward the front door.

"Aren't you going to lock the car?"  
Q actually rolled his eyes at him.  
"No one here is going to steal the car Bond, now come on."  
James bit down his questions and with a sense of resignation followed Q.

A grizzly old man behind a bar counter straightened as they come in and then his eyes widened in obvious surprise, his eyes fixed on Q. Q hurriedly raised his finger up to his lips in the near universal sign for silence and James's curiosity went up another notch. What skeletons exactly did Q have in his closet?  
"Hello Aberforth. Won't be staying long, just need a place to sleep the night. Don't suppose you have a couple of spare rooms?"  
Aberforth flicked his gaze to James with a slight frown.  
"Not in trouble are you?" To James's amusement the old man was looking at him as if he could take him on if necessary.

"Nothing like that Aberforth, really." Q was smiling. "James, this Is Aberforth Dumbledore, Aberforth meet James Bond. I ah, haven't got much on me right now..."  
"Nonsense boy," Aberforth cut in, "On the house, least I could do. Only have a room with two singles in it though."  
Q relaxed slightly. "That sounds fine."  
"This way then." The innkeeper shuffled off and after a glance at Q, James kept his mouth shut and followed.

"Here we go then H..." The old man promptly shut his mouth and glanced at James. James wondered what name was abut to pop out. The two obviously knew each other and what made it more interesting was that they knew each other well enough that not only did Aberforth knew whatever secrets Q had, he knew enough to know Q wanted those secrets kept.  
"Thanks Aberforth." Q said quite genuinely and the old man shuffled away again.  
"He didn't leave a key." James noted. Q just sighed and opened the door revealing two beds and a en-suite.

"This isn't exactly your typical place Bond." Q said as he sat down on one of the beds, suddenly looking rather exhausted. So far Q hadn't really given Bond a reason to distrust him but he couldn't entirely ignore his own instincts either. He kept his questions to himself and started to search the room for any bugs or cameras and the like before moving to the bathroom. Once done he paused at the bathroom mirror to carefully assess his wounds.  
"Need help with anything?" Q asked, watching him from his slumped position against the pillow.  
"Nothing that won't hold until I report in tomorrow," James told him, the medics had done a pretty good job.  
"If you're sure, I do know some first aid." Q yawned.  
"How long have you been awake for?" James asked instead, taking in Q's exhausted state in the reflection of the mirror.

"About 50 hours, I think. I can manage up to 75 though before I really start to crash."  
"Get some sleep Q."

~~007~~~

James Bond was quietly trying to do a few morning exercises, Q was nothing more then a mop of black hair sticking out from under blankets still fast asleep, when their was a knock on the door. James quickly moved to open it but Q was already sticking his head out, squinting at the door blearily.  
James wasn't expecting anyone other then the ancient Innkeeper from last night but he was still cautious as he opened the door. A tall, thin man with shoulder length dark hair going grey, a beak of a nose, thin mouth and intense dark eyes stood there. The stranger didn't pay James any attention at all, his gazer was fixed on Q and James was abruptly very, very aware that he didn't have a weapon. Something about this man had all his instincts for danger turned up to full volume. He cast a cautious look back at Q to find the young Quatermaster frozen in the act of putting his glasses on. Neither man moved for a long moment and James hesitated, not sure what was going on.

"I am the Half-Blood Prince and my worst memory was probably the moment I begged your mother for her forgiveness and she refused." The stranger said carefully before lifting the collar of the coat he was wearing to reveal a rather nasty scar on his neck.  
"You are suppose to be dead." Q stated as he slowly sat up. "I saw you die. One of my worst memories was when I used something you created and almost killed Draco in that bathroom."  
The stranger gave a slight nod.  
"I passed out from blood loss. All I know is that I woke up at Spinner's End, weak but alive. I found this." Long fingers reached into a pocket and James stiffened slightly in readiness but all the man took out was a red feather.  
"Fawkes." Q nodded, apparently the red feather meant something to him.  
"I can only assume Albus left one last request. I haven't seen him since." The red feather was tucked away again.

The two stared at each other for a few long moments and James shifted uncertainly.  
"I am not going back." Q said finally. A ghost of a smile crossed the man's face.  
"How many do you think even know I'm still alive?"  
"So why are you here then?" Q sighed.  
"Because there are still a few of us who would like to know how you are." Dark eyes flicked over to James. "Because I wanted to know, to be sure. Aberforth seemed fairly confident despite the fact you look more like your mother." There was a hint of a question there. Q gave a slight smile and a nod, some sort of confirmation to whatever question had been hidden there, and got to his feet.

"So Aberforth obviously, Draco I suppose although why he'd care about me..." Q shrugged.  
"Neville, Luna, Fred, Andromeda Tonks."  
Something flickered over Q's face and then he surprised James by asking, "My godson?"  
"Sorted into Ravenclaw, as did Draco's son, much to his relief."  
Something relaxed in Q. "I hope the next one comes out of Gryffindor." Which by the nasty little smirk on the strange mans face, meant something and all these code words that these two knew and James didn't was really starting to irritate him.  
"The darkest of Arts do require a certain level of foolhardy courage." Was all he said but Q snorted in amusement.

"Anything else Snape?"  
"I think our acquaintances are running out of hair." Snape said coolly and whatever those code words meant had Q freezing again, something dark and angry in his expression that had James itching for a gun.  
"Polyjuice." Q stated, swallowing slightly.  
"Exactly. It took awhile for those who really know you to realise something was wrong."  
Q sighed and slumped. He glanced over at James and seemed to re-gather himself slightly.  
"Well as interesting as this has been Snape, I need to get back to work."

Snape paused.  
"I would like to come with you. There isn't much left for me anymore and I find myself at loose ends." A slight grimace. Q studied the tall man a moment.  
"You are still trying to protect me aren't you? Is this to do with my mum?"  
James looked between them with no idea what sort of history might be between them. They didn't look related, a step-father?  
"Not exactly." Snape sighed. "To be honest, I'm a bit bored and," Snape's eyes shifted to James, "maybe a little curious. What have you gotten yourself involved in this time?"  
"Still trying to save to world Snape." Q grinned.


	2. Puzzle pieces from the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James finds himself on a car trip with Q and the mysterious Snape trying to follow a conversation that seems to consist of a number of unknown codewords.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea which fic I read where Snape's wand was ebony and unicorn hair, I rather like that it sort of mirror's Snape's dual nature though.
> 
> p.s. I've been floored by the interest this fic has already generated, thanks for the comments.

"Bond, meet Severus Snape, Snape, one of my co-workers James Bond." Q introduced them. "Most people call me Q these days Snape."  
"Snape." James nodded, deciding to copy Q's tendency to use the man's last name.  
"Mr Bond." Snape bowed slightly in return.

"If everyone could refrain from killing each other, it would be much appreciated." Q spoke dryly.  
"Are you sure about this Q?" James found himself asking, his every instinct still on alert. There was a certain quiet deadliness about this man that Bond recognised.  
"Snape has had seven years in which he has failed to kill me, there is no one I would trust more."  
"About bloody time... Q." Snape drawled, "coming here was a bit of a risk wasn't it? What happened to..." Snape made a vague gesture at Q's head that Q seemed to understand.  
"It faded, after. It's still there is you look hard enough." Q shrugged.  
"Ah." Snape seemed to absently clasp his left forearm.  
"Yeah." Q smiled. "You're right though, I've lingered here long enough, we'd better go."

There was absolutely no way James was allowing this Snape fellow to walk behind him, which unfortunately meant he had to allow Snape to follow behind Q. Snape gave him a smirk as if he knew exactly what James was thinking and actually exited the room first.  
"If he does anything Q..." James stared hard at his Quartermaster, looking for some sort of signal. "I can take him."  
Q lifted an eyebrow in response, looking slightly amused.  
"Snape might have been out of the game a few years now Bond but I'd still put money on him winning." Q stepped out to follow Snape whose coat seemed to bellow behind him. "Snape, do you still have you're, er rumour said it was ebony and um horse hair?" Q asked, James having no choice but to follow them both, wondering what those code words might mean.  
"Yes, I don't dare use it though." Snape replied. "There is a small chance it would be noticed and I'd rather stay out of prison."  


"Yeah, I try to use mine as little as possible." Q said as they stepped outside and Q headed straight for the battered blue Ford. As much as James hated the idea of Snape in the passenger seat, he hated the idea of Snape sitting behind them both in the back seat even more.  
"Maybe I should drive." He suggested instead as he watched Snape eyeing the car carefully.  
"Isn't this the car you stole..." Snape looked over to Q a bit incredulous.  
"Second year. You tried to have me expelled." Q cut him off.  
"You crashed into a rather valuable tree." Snape snorted.  
"You stole...." James looked at the blue Ford at bit wearily, trying to get his head around the idea of Q stealing a car.  


"Right, everyone in." Q demanded shortly and opened the driver's side door. "Snape?" Q looked over to Snape with a slight frown.  
"It's been awhile since I've been in a car." Snape shrugged and got into the passenger side.  
"Bond?" Q looked over at him and James sighed but got into the backseat.  
"I would feel better if I could drive."  
"Given what I know about this car, it probably wouldn't let you." Snape said as he reached for the seat belt, he gave it a sceptical look before clicking it in place. Voice recognition? Palm print? The options danced in James's head.  
"He would if I asked him too." Q patted the gear stick fondly, like it was an actual living thing. James smiled, feeling a bit better. Techies and their projects, he wondered what else this car had hidden away.

~~~007~~~

"Where did you go anyway?" Snape asked not long after they left the village behind.  
"My cousin Dudley." Q replied.  
"Ah, do you keep in contact at all?"  
"Now and then. His kids seem normal enough."  
"Much to your Aunts relief no doubt." An odd smile crossed Snape's face. "Do you see Tuney at all?"  
"Driven past the house a couple times. She and Uncle Vernon seem happy enough."  
"Free at last?"  
"Something like that." Q agreed.

"How is freedom treating you... Q." Snape asked after a moment.  
"Rather well actually. How about you?"  
"Been bored is something of a novel experience, certainly preferable to the alternative however."  
"It is good to know you're not actually dead." Q glanced over at Snape.  
"Same." Snape replied dryly. "It confused me a little at first, how that worked."

"I have no idea how long I was dead for." Q startled James by saying. "Couldn't have been long, felt like ages though. How is Draco's mum?"  
"She has become rather fluent in French, as has her husband. He doesn't know, we are all a little to aware of his weaknesses." Came the response, Q just nodded slightly.  
The drive continued on in silence and James allowed himself to relax just slightly, there were endless questions milling around his head but he could be patient. He wondered if either of them knew how much they had both already revealed. Even with all the code words thrown in.  


Q parked the car on a street called Grimmauld place.  
"I know this place and yet funnily enough I don't seem to recall the address." Snape spoke with dry humour as he got out, looking around.  
"I gave the secret to Kretcher and then gave him a sock." Q grinned slightly. He leaned in to speak into Snape's ear who gave a slight nod. "Let yourself in. I've ah, modernised it a bit."  
"I have learned to use an electric kettle and I do know what a fridge is Q." Snape smirked.  
"Well make yourself at home. I need to get back to work. Not sure when I'll be finished."  
"Very well." Snape gave a slight nod and headed down the street.  


"You can get in the passenger seat now Bond." Q turned to him and James hastened to comply.  
"Hey, where did he go?" James blinked at the spot where he could have sworn Snape had just been.  
"Snape'll be fine." Q put the car back into drive and headed toward MI6.  
James studied Q a moment and decided that Q wasn't really in the mood to talk about any of it, there was one thing James did want to be clear on however.  
"I am not allowing you to go back to your home alone, not with him in it." He settled on saying.  
Q grimaced slightly but nodded.


	3. Grimmauld place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James tries to find out more about Q and visits his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I amused myself with thoughts of the Ford giving parking ticket inspectors, or whatever it is in Britian, the run around and terrorising them without been too obvious about it, because it can. 
> 
> Are they called cigarette lighters in British?
> 
> Hope I am striking the right balance of giving James enough information without giving him too much to soon.

Mallory had stepped in as the new M. James didn't think it would stay unofficial for long. He didnt know a lot about the man but what he did know was impressive.

James made his report and was unsurprised to be given three weeks leave. It would hopefully give him enough time to work out whatever secret Q had and where Snape fit in. He headed over to medical where they checked him over, changed his bandages and set him up with a training schedule to keep while he was on leave.

With that sorted out James headed to Q branch and found the quatermaster in the midst of trying to sort out what exactly Silva did. It looked like he'd be there for awhile yet. Q moved fluidly around the branch, going from screen to screen and minion to minion. Giving orders, checking on progress, offering advice and more.

He was confident, calm and in control. James's first impression of Q hadn't been all that good but watching Q now when he was clearly in his element was something else. Q hadn't seemed like some one who could handle the dangers that came with working at MI6 but having met Snape, James had to re-think that assumption.

Snape was clearly dangerous and Q pretty much openly admitted it. If the man wasn't a former agent of some sort James would be very much surprised. The two obviously knew each other quite well but what exactly the connection was, was still unclear.

"Something you like?" Eve asked as she came up beside him.  
"What do you know about our new quatermaster?"  
"Not your usual flavour is It?" She asked in an amused tone.  
"You say that like I've never enjoyed male company before." James responded with an arched eyebrow.  
"Perhaps you can answer the staff betting pool then. Over half seem to believe he's asexual. Never seems to date anyone, never seeks to go out and spends nearly all of his time here."

"What about his past?" James asked.  
"Orphaned young. Raised by an Aunt and Uncle but otherwise..." Eve shrugged. " I think he's digitally erased as much of his past as he can. I couldn't even find out what high school he went to."

"How did he get into MI6?"  
"Rumour is he was caught hacking into the system and when he was brought in for questioning he told them he just wanted the practice."  
James snorted a laugh.  
"Of course he did. Does he seem trustworthy enough?"

"Yes, why? Do you know something?"  
"Not yet. He's had a bit of a run in from someone from his past."  
"Someone we should know about?" Eve's eyes sharpened.  
"That I don't know yet. Q trusts him and I haven't yet been given a reason to distrust him."

"Hm," Eve nodded slowly, "and you have to be able to trust the quatermaster and his judgement."  
"Exactly." James agreed, glad Eve understood. "Which means keeping Q's secrets unless given a reason to do otherwise."  
"Which means you can't really tell me anymore. Keep me posted?"  
"Absolutely."

\---007---

With time to kill, James headed down to MI6s shooting range.  
"There you are." A voice disrupted James's admiration of the bullet holes left in the target some time later. "I should really get you to test some of our prototypes." Q said with a grin as he took in James's handiwork.  
"I have some time off." James told him as he started to dis-assemble the gun.  
"So I've heard."  
"Done for the day?"  
"Yes."  
"Give me a moment then." James said before setting about the task of cleaning the gun and putting everything away.

James was almost sure the blue Anglina had moved from it's original position. He couldn't help but notice other cars had parking tickets but the Ford had none. 

"Here." Q handed him a slip of paper once they'd both gotten in. 12 Grimmauld place was written on it, presumably in Q's handwriting. Q then pulled out the cars cigarette lighter and silently handed it to him. James didn't even have to ask, with the address memorized, he burnt the paper and returned the lighter.

Q parked the car a few blocks away from the street this time and they both got out and walked the rest of the way.  
"Right," Q turned to him, face earnest and serious. "I've never done this before but could you close your eyes and keep that address in mind?"

"You didn't do this with Snape." James couldn't help but say as he obediently closed his eyes.  
"Snape has been here a few times before." Q took James's hand and placed it on what felt like his shoulder.  
"And didn't remember the address?" James inquired. Q hesitated before he replied.  
"Well it has been over ten years."

James frowned, something didn't sound entirely trueful about that. Clutching Q's shoulder, he blindly followed the quatermaster, obligingly keeping his eyes closed. He couldn't help but notice that under Q's cardigan he could feel muscle. There was a wirey strength there that he wouldn't have expected from the quatermaster.

He felt Q move to probably open a door and he knew his hunch was right when he was guided up a step and onto floorboards, the door closing behind them. Something rustled and screeched.

"Yes Reg, I know. You can open your eyes now Bond."  
James opened his eyes to a foyer and an admittedly gorgeous staircase that spiralled it's way upwards. A brown and white speckled bird sat perched on the rails, bright yellow eyes peering down.

"Reg, as in Regulus?" Snape cool voice said a moment before the man himself stepped into view at the top of the stairs.  
"Yes, it seemed appropriate. I suppose you've taken Regulus's old room?"  
"I'm sure as hell not taking your godfathers." Snape sneered. Godfather? Was this the connection James was looking for between Snape and Q? Or this Regulus fellow, whoever he was?

"You really have modernised this old wreck." Snape said as he casually reached to confidently scratch the bird between two tuffs of feathers that stood out from its head like horns. "He's a Greater Horned owl correct?"  
"Yeah, he seems to have adopted me." Q shrugged.  
"And the fact that these owls are known to be territorial enough to attack other owls?" Snape was obviously hinting at something that had Q grinning.  
"Pure coincidence."  
"A likely story P... Q." 

"True though. Been keeping busy Snape?"  
"Interesting library, it's changed a bit though."  
"I shoved most of the old stuff into the vault." Q said as he made his way down the hall. Not liking the idea of having Snape behind him, James waited until the man made his way down the stairs before following them both to a kitchen.

Q's casual mention of a vault somewhere had him wondering how much money Q, or perhaps his Godfather, had. Q didn't particularly strike him as someone who came from money but he clearly had access to it.

"No fireplace Q?" Snape asked, looking around a rather modern kitchen with stainless steel benches and induction cookers.  
"No." There was something final in Q's voice. "Tea?"  
Snape paused, something tentative and cautious about him as he looked at Q carefully.  
"Perhaps you'll allow me to use some of my skills to cook a meal?"

Q looked genuinely surprised a moment before a smile crossed his face.  
"I suppose you want the onion sliced a quarter of an inch thick?"  
Judging by the way Shapes mouth twitched there was some sort of joke there.  
"Finely diced actually."

James then watched in near total amazement as Snape began to confidently give out orders and to watch Q obey those orders, as strange as some of them seemed to be, with ease of familiarity and yet there was a strange hesidence there.

Snape cooked like a professional, his hands fast and smooth as he almost seemed to dance in the kitchen. James watched him sharply but other then some rather deadly looking knife skills he saw nothing go in that wasn't edible.

"Is this what you've been doing these last few years?" Q asked as he scrubbed a used pot, seeming to be entirely comfortable with been ordered about his own kitchen.  
"I've become something of an expert in herbal medicine." Snape replied coolly.  
"Of course." Q snorted slightly in amusement.

Dinner turned out to be exceptional and given that James had eaten at some of the best hotels and restaurants on the planet, that was saying something.  
"It's not Ogdens." Q said as he brought out a bottle of scotch. "But it's almost as good." He set three glasses down.

"I'll have to buy a few bottles from Aberforth then." Snape replied as Q poured each of them a drink.  
"Hm, it's been a few years." Q smiled fondly. "Had quite the kick to it."  
"During those student parties us teachers weren't suppose to know about?" Snape asked and James perked up in surprise. So far he'd been under the impression Snape had some sort of family connect to Q. Snape had been one of his teahers at school?

"Yeah like the entire school hadn't heard about some of the antics that went on during Dracos 15th birthday."

Snape opened his mouth but suddenly seemed to think better of it. Face turning pensive as he took a sip of his drink.

"What did happen after it was all over? I know some, can guess more but..." Snape shrugged slightly. Q sighed and sipped his own drink, hand reaching to rub at his forehead as he thought for a moment.

"I knew something was wrong as soon as Ginny started to want us to be back together. I'd changed after I'd died, after Tom died. I still didn't know how much...but still. Her brother was dead, Remus was dead, you... so many dead and all she seemed to care about was us getting back together and getting married. I tried to talk to her about everything that'd happen but..." Q threw back his drink and Snape silently refilled it. "What on earth did you do to make her hate you so much? Not even Neville hated you that much and he seemed to have more cause."

"As do you." Snape.said quietly, looking at Q a bit wearily.  
"I hated you." Q stared into his drink and James couldn't help but notice Snape flinch slightly. "But then again, you wanted me to hate you."  
"It was safer that way." Was all Snape said.

"I still have trouble getting my head around what you did and how." Q took another swallow of the scotch. "How the hell you survived all those years..."  
"You know the answer." Snape emptied his glass and James made himself useful by refilling it. "I cost her her life. I loved her and she died protecting you."

"You begged for her life. You got warning to her and my dad. I am still alive because of you. You made a mistake."

"I made a number of mistakes, poor judgement." Snape sneered bitterly.  
"As did I Snape." Q spoke with a certain intensity. "We both trusted wrong and we paid the price."

Snape sighed and slumped.  
"Everything you did, everything I did. What did we do it all for? They are all just as screwed up as they ever were."

"Freedom." Q replied with a grim little smile. "I like my life now. It's mine. I made it on my own, on my own merits and on my own terms. I have a pretty good life now and you don't seem to be doing to bad yourself, for a dead guy. Let the rest of them hang."

Snape stared at Q for a long moment before a small smile appeared.  
"I suppose it was worth something then."  
"Everything." Q finished his drink and stood up. "Enough of the past. Cone on Bond you can have Sirius's old room"

James allowed Q to take him into a room setup as a guest bedroom, mulling over what he'd heard and what he could guess at. Q's trust in Snape sounded like it was hard earned and James now though he knew enough to know why Q trusted him.

There were still a lot of secrets and unknowns but if the her that had been mentioned hadn't been Q's mum then James had completely misread everything and that didn't seem likely. Which meant Snape did have a vested interest in keeping Q safe, alive and well. For the sake of his mother if nothing else. 

Knowing this certainly helped James feel better about Snape been near Q.


	4. Snape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snape cooks breakfast and James invites himself along to Spinners End. It's a bit of a filler chapter really.

***AN: Just in case you wanted to know, Snape's comment about having to teach Luna is inspired by [this artwork](https://favim.com/image/4267400/)

The next morning James found Snape in the kitchen. He was chopping up bacon and absently tossing bits over to the owl Reg, who was perched on one of the chairs. The chopped bacon was being added to what would probably be omelettes, once it was cooked.  
"Snape." James greeted before he sat down. After watched Q following Snape's exacting instructions, he wasn't even going to bother to try to help. Who the fuck stilled used terms like Widdershins anymore anyways.  
"Mr Bond." Snape causally tossed the owl another titbit of bacon.  
"So this place belongs to Q's Godfather?" James asked causally, taking the opportunity to try and get some information.  
"It did, the idiot died in Q's fifth year. Left it to Q."  


"Not Regulus, whoever he might be?"  
"No, Regulus died...he would have only been 18." Snape paused a moment and James thought he saw a moment of grief there.  
"There seems to be a lot of dead people mentioned." James remarked coolly.  
"Too many." Snape agreed.  


"How many did you kill?" James braced himself, watching Snape carefully for his reaction, the glare that was levelled his way was truly impressive.  
"Mostly those I couldn't save. How about you Mr Bond?" Snape's voice was positively frosty.  
"I imagine Q is well aware how many people I've killed." James gave a tight smile. "Could you say the same?"  
Snape met his eyes and his lips curled upwards in a grim sort of smile.  
"He witnessed two. How many people do you think Q's killed?"  


"He would have made a few by now. You knew him when he was still just a kid though. I doubt he killed anyone while still in school." James leaned back causally, feeling confident in himself, nothing about Q set off any of James's alarms. Snape drummed his fingers slightly.  
"Well I suppose Quirrell was more an accidental death. Q damn near killed Draco though."  
"What did he do?" James asked as he watched as Snape added the last of the bacon in and used a fork to quickly whisk everything together.  
"None of your business."  
James allowed a real smile to appear, pleased Snape had chosen to keep mum.  
"Just so long as no one plans to kill Q."  
"And join the long list of people who've already tried and failed? I think not." Snape smirked.  


James was about to probe deeper when Q sleepily stumbled in looking delightfully rumpled, black hair sticking up everywhere.  
"No one has killed anyone yet? He glanced between the two of them uncertainly. Snape however had frozen in place and James felt the hairs of the back of his neck rise when one long pale finger rose to brushed aside Q's hair to touch his forehead.  
"You really do still have it."  
Q irriably brushed Snape's finger aside and James thought he caught a glimpse of a scar.  
"It faded." Q said shortly. Snape glanced at Q's face and seemed to realise he'd made a mistake. He reached to unbutton his left cuff and push the sleeve back, shoving his bared left forearm to Q in what James guessed was some sort of form of apology. Q glanced at what appeared to be an old, faded burn scar and gave a curt nod.  


"Bond and I have to go back to work, you got plans Snape?" Q asked as Snape buttoned his sleeve back up.  
"I should return to Spinner's End, check on my post. Perhaps invite a few people over if you'd like to pay a visit?"  
Q frowned slightly. "Neville, George and Luna?"  
"Yes, probably best to keep Andromeda Tonks and your godson away for now." Snape nodded.  
"Yeah, all right. Might take me awhile to drive there though."  
"Not alone." James immediately invited himself along.  
Q closed his eyes and groaned. "That'll be fun."  
"I'll explain, they'll understand. Well who knows with Luna..."  
Q chuckled slightly, "Yeah, she's always done her own thing."  
"You didn't have to try and teach her." Snape shuddered slightly.  


___007___ 

"How did things go with Q?" Eve asked James as medic wired him into the monitoring system attached to a treadmill.  
"His visitor appears to be a mentor of sorts and poses no actual threat to Q, as far as I can tell."  
"Not that. The staff betting pool?"  
James snorted in amusement, trust Eve to know her priorities. "Not sure yet."  
"You, James Bond, haven't made your move?" Eve looked at him in astonishment.  
"No, I'm been more concerned about making sure Q isn't about to be killed by someone he trusts."  


"Oh come on, how dangerous a person could someone like Q know from his past?"  
"Someone who admitted to me to killing two people." James replied. "Two deaths that Q apparently witnessed."  
Eve pursed his lips slightly. "That is troubling if this person is to be believed. How on earth did Q get mixed up with someone like that anyway, do you know?"  
"I'm still working it all out. He knew Q's mum, was in love with her I think. He then did something stupid, stupid enough that she ended up dead and he was also apparently one of Q's teachers when he was in school. One thing I do know is that the list of people in Q's past whose now dead is rather high."  


"Because if this guy?"  
"There is something else, something more. I don't really know what but there is a them involved. I've heard mention of 'they're every bit as screwed up as they ever were' and 'let them hang'," James shrugged slightly.  
"Some sort of larger organisation then," Eve grimaced. "One that could be a threat?"  
"Maybe, As far as I can determine both Q and this bloke seem determined to stay under the radar of this them. Q's been invited to a place to meet up with a few others who Q still seems to trust but... I told him he's not going alone."  
"You will take care won't you?" Eve bit her lip. looking genuinely worried.  
"Always."


	5. Neville, Luna and George

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James meets Neville, George and Luna at Spinners End.
> 
> Edit As someone pointed out to me, Q could see thestrals after Cedric died, not Sirus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have deleted and re-written this chapter so many times now. Still not sure if I am entirely happy with it 
> 
> Yes, ok, I made up Luna's Grumble Cranks, they probably look a little like nits, not that most people, even wizards, could see them.

James had to admit, he hadn't really ever spent much time in Britian, he certainly had no idea a place like Cokeworth existed but after a two and a half hour drive, the turnoff to Cokeworth was where Q turned into. All the houses and streets all seemed to look the same and yet Q seemed to know exactly where to go. Parking out the front of a ugly brick house wedged between carbon copies of itself. He had to admit though, that if he was presumed dead and wanted somewhere he could hide in plain sight while still living in Britian, this would be a perfect spot.

James didn't even bother remark on Q's continual habit of leaving the car unlocked, or the fact the keys probably stayed in the ignition for all James knew, Q never seemed to have the keys on him at any rate. Q confidently went up to a door and knocked, a moment later an a red headed male opened it. A wide grin split his face as soon as he saw Q.  
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." The red head said.  
"Mischief managed." Q replied with a smile of his own. "I have a surprise for you." Q stepped back and indicated the car parked outside. The red-heads jaw dropped in evident surprise.  
"Merlin's balls, you have the car! Really? You have the car? Now I know it's you." Q was pulled into a crushing hug and was dragged over to the car. James raised an eyebrow and movement in the doorway had him looking over into Snape's dark eyes.

"Snape." James nodded shortly.  
"Bond." Snape gave a curt nod in return.  
James shifted so he could keep on eye on Q and one on Snape at the same time.  
"Didn't Q steal the car?" James asked watching as the red head patted it like a long lost pet, looking far to happy to see a car that'd been stolen.  
"From George's father actually."

So the red-head was George, James frowned as George got into the drivers seat and Q clambered into the passenger.  
"Don't tell me he's going to..." He stepped towards the car but it was too late, George was taking of down the road. "Fuck, Q should know better then to leave me behind."  
"Q spent an entire childhood escaping from trouble, I'm sure he'll survive another half hour or so." Snape said dryly.

"Oh, hello, are we having tea outside now?" A pleasant female voice spoke.  
"Yes but lets have it out the back." Snape stepped back from the doorway and after a frustrated sigh James reluctantly went in, quickly taking in shelves and shelves of books.  
"Luna, this is James Bond, Bond this is Luna Lovegood." Snape gestured to a small framed female with straggly blond hair and dreamy blue eyes. James held out his hand and was surprised at the strength in Luna's return grip as he shook her hand.  
"Hello, did you know you have Grumble Cranks in you hair?"  
James blinked and Snape pinched his nose in either annoyance or frustration, possibly both.  
"I'm going to get the tea." Snape grumbled.  
"He really is a very nice man, once you get to know him." Luna told him quite earnestly. "How long have you known Q for?"

"Only a few days really." James replied.  
"Oh, oh well, I suppose that's all you really need sometimes isn't it? I liked Q from the moment I met him, he could see Thestrals too you know."  
"That's...good," James hedged.  
"It was after he saw Cedric die, you would think it would have been after his parents were murdered but I suppose he was to little then." Luna smiled and then turned to walk past a fairly modern kitchen where Snape was adding large pot of tea to a tray full of tea cups, spoons, a bowl of sugar cubes and a milk jug. The tiny backyard had barely the space for the bench table wedged in between the back of the house and a large brick wall.

James slid himself into a seat and could hear someone knocking at the front door as Snape set down the tray.  
"Oh that will be Neville." Luna said as she immediately headed back inside.  
"Luna is....well Luna, somehow she defies explanation. Don't underestimate her though, she is more intelligent and more perceptive then most people give her credit for." Snape said coolly as he set out cups, apparently not even bothering with saucers. A moment later a brown haired, brown eyed man came out, broad shouldered, confident and carried himself with the quiet air of someone who knew he could handle any situation that was thrown at him. James had seen a few soldiers and sailors who carried themselves like that.  
"Neville Longbottom." A rough, callused hand was offered to him, brown eyes steady and calm.  
"James Bond." James smiled, immediately feeling at home. He was willing to bet Neville spent sometime on the front line at some point in his life, although the ingrained dirt under his nails probably meant he didn't anymore.

"So Q's taken George for a ride in that car he stole back in second year?" Neville asked Snape as both he and Luna took a seat. Second year? Q would have been only 12?  
"Correct." Snape reached for the teapot to start pouring.  
"That was the year I started School." Luna smiled dreamily.  
"It's getting worst there." Neville sighed. "I feel like I'm wasting my time."  
"No shop talk please." Snape glowered at them both. Neville rubbed at his jaw in a tired fashion.  
"Yeah, sorry Severus. What is Q doing these day anyway?" Neville looked at James.

"He spends a lot if time on the computer and I dread to think what he was like at school, must of driven the IT teacher mental." James drew a cup over to himself, a quick sniff telling him it was an English Breakfast.  
"Computer?" Neville frowned. "Not sure we even had them, I remember learning to use a toaster."  
"I think he learned from his cousin Dudley." Snape apparently had his tea black, no sugar or milk.  
"Ah," Neville nodded. "Is that where he went? I still can't believe it took me so long to work out he was gone. There was a lot of stuff going on at the time but the realisation that the person I was talking to wasn't Q and the rest of them was trying to hide the fact... it was a bit of a kick in the guts."

"The Wrackspruts told me." Luna said in a dreamy tone and Neville nodded, evidently understanding.  
"I can't exactly blame Q for just going. Everyone going on and on about what he'd do next, the supposed impending wedding, his future job prospects and all the while Q was going from funeral to funeral, making sure he attended all of them. Even bloody Bella Lestrange and the Carrows even though they were...." Neville waved a hand in exacerbation as he tried to find the right words.  
"Sadistic, violent, narcissistic, evil people." Severus said calmly.  
"Yeah, that." Neville gave Severus a thin smile and was just about to continue when there was knocking at the front door again and Snape rose.   
"That should be Q and George returning."  


A moment later and James sighed in relief when Q appeared with the red-head just behind him, both of them grinning widely.  
"My parents were in the Janus Thickey ward." Neville said when Q turned his attention in his direction.  
"Were." Q's smile vanished. "Shit Neveille I'm sorry. Your mum liked candies and you had a Mimbulus mimbletonia plant."  
Nevile immediately relaxed and pulled Q into a tight hug. "It is so good to see you again."  


"You decieded not to join the Rotfang Conspiracy?" Luna asked Q when he turned his attention to her and Q's smile returned if not so brightly.  
"Yes, I found a different job that I think I'm much better at and better suited for. Have you found a Crumple-Horned Snorkack yet?"  
"Sadly no. I think my father may have actually made that one up." Luna smiled a bit ruthfully.   
Q pulled Luna into a close hug. "It is good to see you Luna. Still writing the Quibbler?"  
"Of course. I keep trying to tell people that you're not yourself." Luna shrugged. "No one listens much to Loony Lovegood though."  
"They should." Q actually kissed the top of her head in affection. "Though really, I'd rather not have anyone try and find me." He pulled back from her and his green eyes settled on James. "Doing all right Bond?"  
"Fine." James smiled lifting his tea cup. "I haven't even been poisoned yet. Enjoy you're little joy ride?"  


Q rolled his eyes. "I was fine. James Bond, meet George Weasley, George meet Bond."  
"James?" The red head turned his attention from where Snape was pouring an extra cup of tea for Q. "Wasn't your father named...." Snape promptly used his spare hand to clip George on the back of the head. "Ow!"  
"Don't make me take off your other ear Weasley." Snape sneered at which point James promptly realised that George only had one ear, the other was a very good replica of an ear. James however noticed Q flinched.  
"Q's father was named James?" He quietly asked Neville while Q was glaring at George.  
"Yes." Nevile nodded.  
"Brillant." James sighed, so much for trying to get Q to call him James any time soon.  
George rubbed at his head and gave Q a crocked smile.  
"It would at least give me two ears with which to listen to Fred, I think he's a bit bored of been dead."  
Q paused a moment and then a reluctant smile tugged at his lips. "I don't think I want to know what sort of mischief he might be up to on the other side. I hope he doesn't mind I call the car Fred."  
George grinned. "He's saying rude things about your hands on his knob."  
Q went a rather striking shade of red.  
"George!" Q spluttered, delightfully flustered and casting an uncertain look at the others.  


"Oh don't worry about them lot." George hooked a casual arm around Q's shoulders in easy familiarity. "None of us are homophobic here, er..." George looked at Q sharply. "You're not are you?"  
"No but..." Q blinked, looking a bit wrong footed.  
"How about you James?" George throw James a rather generous wink.  
"Q knows better then most that I've slept with both." James sat back in amusement, this was proving to be entertaining.  
"That's work..." Q shot back before he hurriedly shut his mouth. "Sorry."  
"Is it? All the time? Every time?" James gave Q a slow grin.  


Q unexpectantly went a bit red again.  
"What about Snape?" He looked to the older man a little desperately.  
"Please, like working as a teacher hasn't exposed me to whatever sexual crisis some teenager or other is going through. I loved your mother Q but you could hardly expect me to stay a virgin either." Snape spoke in a rather amused tone. "The whole attitude has struck me as been rather stupid for a long time."  
Q blinked a few times before he relaxed and smiled.  


"Well that's good. I have to admit I felt like I missed something when I started to realise how many people I knew were homophobic. I couldn't get my head around it and the fact that Dumbledore was gay and yet allowed to be Headmaster."  
"That one is easy enough. People thought because of his age and because Grindelwald was dead, their precious little children were safe and he was no further threat to anyone else." Snape sneered, "If anyone had an ounce of common sense then they would have thought to wonder how Ollivander ended up with two of Fawkes feathers, why he was the somewhat unofficial member of the Order and thought about the fact Ollivander never married or why that there might be more than one reason he ended up with Luna in Malfoy's dungeons."  
"You did tell Draco that I thought the dungeons were rather nice didn't you?" Luna looked at Snape with a somewhat hopefully expression. Snape twitched slightly at the odd change in subject but gave a nod.  


"He knows."  
"Good," Luna nodded looking pleased.  
"Dumbledore and Ollivander?" Q frowned slightly. "That actually makes a strange sort of sense. What about the other staff? McGonigal, Flickwick and the rest?"  
"McGonagall is as homophobic as you can get. She knew about Dumbledore but kept her mouth shut, better he was with Ollivander then corrupting her students." Snape snorted in contempt. "If she caught one of the student though...Why do you think I was the one who often took to rooming the corridors at night? It wasn't just because I was an insomniac. Flickwick wasn't much better. To him it was fine for students to experiment and fool around but anything more then that? He was often telling students that when they would find the right one, they'd settle down, get married, have kids." Snape sneered.  
Q grimaced slightly.  
"I can imagine. Maybe there was too much going on in my life but it wasn't even really something I even really thought about until it was all over." Q took a breath and added. "It was really strange, once Tom was dead and I started to wonder how much of me was, well me."  


"Ha!" Neville sat forward. "Knew it! Do you know how many times Ginny use to complain about the bloody book you had while you were dating her? His book?" Neville waved a hand toward Snape.  
Q's jaw dropped.  
"But... it was a bloody useful book! Not that I knew who the Half-Blood Prince was but really Snape, I learnt more from that book then I ever learnt from your teaching."  
"You learnt to cheat you mean." Snape replied in a dry tone.  
"You kept it under your pillow." Neville shot back. "You were always reading it. Ginny, maybe I have this wrong but you never seemed that interested in her until that year. You didn't seem all that interested in girls even, that date with Cho was a total failure."  
"Cedric had just died." Q replied, bristling slightly.  
"Sure, I give you that." Neville nodded in agreement, "and sure you didn't really seem to notice blokes either but well I think the others helped you be a bit more interested in Ginny then you should have been because of that book."  
Q opened his mouth and then quietly shut it again.  
"Great. Remilda Vane all over again."  
"Something like that." Neville gave a grim smile.  


"So it might not have been Tom." Q sighed and slumped.  
"I wouldn't completely discount the possibility." Snape said quietly. "He was incapable of love but not attraction. It wasn't like he was incapable of sex, his followers knew he slept with Bella." Snape shrudded slightly.  
"Too much info Snape." George spoke in a disgusted tone.  
"His disgust of gays was also fairly well known." Snape added. "His influence might have been enough to at least repress your own Q."  
Q grimaced. "Great." He rubbed at his forehead.

"Is that why you left H...Q?" George asked.  
"One of a number really." Q sighed. "I think it was Snapes funeral that really did it though. You were too convincing an enemy sir. Nothing I tried to say made a difference. Slytherins were inherently bad, doomed from the start. The other two were almost as bad. I expected better from Hermione at least."  
"Stuffed her head with too much useless information from books but had little to any true understanding of her own." Snape said softly.

Q grimaced but gave a reluctant nod.  
"Her homework always annoyed you and her want to answer every question in class. She would listen, nod, say things like give it time. Everyone seemed to want me to get back with Ginny and to work with Kingsley but I felt adrift. I had no idea what I actually wanted to do. That day, with no one listening to me about everything Snape had done, Ginny clinging close to me all the time, everyone wanting to know when we'd get married... Ron going on and on about how he was going to work with me alongside Kingsley and kick those slimy Slytherins into prison with Hermione nodding along. It got a bit much."

"So you left." George nodded.  
"I didn't intend to at first." Q smiled slightly. "I came here actually, Cokeworth. First I went to that place my mum grow up in. There was a gay couple living there."  
"Still are living there." Snape nodded slightly.  
"It was nice, watching them and then I went to the park. To that tree. With the engraving."  
"Silly, childish nonsense." Snape's cheeks actually went slightly pink. Q shrugged.

"I sat there for ages. Watching people, families come and go. Parents, children, couples, all sorts of different races, different religions, difference sexual preferences. Sure some of them were having arguments, kids got into fights, not all of them looked happy but it was all... so normal I guess and I realized I didn't really want to go back and then I realized that really...I didnt need to."

"Snape was the last funeral." Neville said after a moment of silence. " You wanted to try and figure out what happened to his body. You didn't want it in enemy hands and at the time I had no idea or understanding as to why the funeral of a man who'd killed Dumbledore was making you so upset."  
"Yeah. None of the others wanted it known what Snape had actually done for some reason." Q sighed.

"He made it too easy to hate him." Neville gave Snape a slightly wry smile. "He certainly terrified me. When I started to ask questions once I realized you weren't you anymore Aberforth near knocked me over by bringing Snape into it, first I learn he's not dead and then I learn he wasn't the bad guy I'd thought he was."

"After all those years of avoiding the papers and the public and all the attention... " Snape added. "Suddenly you were turning up in the papers every where. I kept up to date with what was happening enough to know that wasn't right. You made your detest of such things rather plain and Neville wasn't the only one to think your sudden interest in Ginny strange. The Weasleys had always struck me as been a bit attention seeking and money hungry. Don't get me started on Molly." Snape grimaced

"Hey, some of us aren't so bad." George pointed to himself.  
Snape gave George a slightly amused look.  
"Attention seeking? Money hungry? One of the richest pranksters running a joke shop? I must have the wrong person."  
George grabbed at himself like he was wounded.  
"Oh, ow! You wound me Severus you really do."

"I already have, it didn't work quite a well as I intended." Snape smiled slightly  
"Hey, you told me you took me ear off by accident." George pouted.  
"Would you like an other accident." Snape offered with a mean little smirk.  
George rolled his eyes. "If only we knew you actually had a sence of humour at school. Severus can actually be charmingly frank now he has nothing to hide." George said to Q with a wide grin.  
"I had sort of noticed that myself actually." Q grinned at Snape who merely smirked back.

___007___

"So how did things go?" Eve asked as she came up beside him. He was watching Q direct 006, hopefully that meant Alec would be able to return here soon. Not that James had any real further concerns about Snape but having one other person keeping an eye on Q wouldn't hurt.  
"Q has some rather interesting friends." James smiled. Interesting didn't really begin to cover Snape with his grim, dry humour or mischievous and outgoing George, quiet, calm Neville or just plain strange Luna.  
"Not that you idiot." Eve clipped his shoulder with the folder she was carrying. "The staff betting pool?"  
James laughed.  
"Despite the fact it seems he was nearly married, he pretty much admitted he is gay."  
"Bingo!" Eve gave a fist pump. "I knew it. Have you made your move yet?"  
"Not exactly. I found out Q's father was named James."  
"Ah, I think that is actually in his file somewhere. It's not an uncommon name." Eve gave him a sympathetic smile. "You'll figure it out." She patted his shoulder. 

"Q is planning to meet this mentor of his and possibly a couple of his other friends later so I've invited myself along again."  
"Do you think I could join in?" Eve asked hopefully. "I want to see this guy for myself. I bet he isn't as dangerous as you make out."  
"Even when one of Q's friends straight out said he'd killed someone? From what I gather he was the enemy and probably at the time Q's parents were murdered, started working as a double agent." "Oh well then." Eve paused. " Still, how bad can he be?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like Snape to prove he can be a BAMF in the muggle world. Any thoughts? A taser maybe because that to Snape would be nothing compared to cruciatus. I can certainly imagine him having some self defense skills since he now lives as a muggle, is reluctant to use his wand and knows many wizards are useless if they have their wand taken off them.


	6. Salisbury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve joins James and Q at a night out at the pub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else having trouble trying to be in the right mood to write at the moment? I have been trying to put something down for weeks but I keep thinking about my grandma. She turned 90 last year and she is allergic to eggs. Which means even if they do create a vaccine against this new virus there is a very strong chance she won't be able to have one because egg is used in a lot of vaccinations.
> 
> Thanks for the suggestion of knives. I'm trying to decide if Snape or Q gets re-discovered by the Wizarding world first.

Eve eyed Q's car somewhat skeptically.  
"You are the Quatermaster of MI6 and you are driving a ford. A beat up, second hand, crappy old ford. You do know you are allowed a company car right?" She reached for the handle to open the door to the backseat only to yelp and hastily jerk back.  
"What the bloody fuck Q? Your car zapped me."

"Appologise.' Q told her firmly. James went round to the passengers door and with some curiousity he touch the handle and when nothing happened he opened it with ease.  
"Ha, ha. Very funny." Eve rolled her eyes and reached for the door only to apparently get zapped again.  
"Appologise or you are not getting in." Q said before opening the drivers side door and sliding into the drivers seat.

"Fine, fine. It's your car. I'm sorry."  
"Not to me, to the car."  
Eve gave Q a look.  
"You want me to appologise to your car?"  
"Yes." Q nodded.  
"Q calls it Fred." James told her in an amused tone, thinking he should try to be helpful. Really Eve should have known better then to think Q had an ordinary car.  
Eve heaved a sigh. "Bloody tech genius. Fine, Fred I am sorry." She reached for the handle but while it didn't shock her, the door wouldn't budge.

"Appologise properly." Q patted at the steering wheel in a soothing fashion.  
"Q!" Eve whined.  
"Something about it been a beat up old ford?" James hinted cheerfully.  
Eve groaned. "All right. Fred I appologise for everything I said. I clearly didn't take into account that Q wouldn't drive just any old ford. Will that do?" Eve tried the door which opened with a protesting creak. "Finally. So where are we going?"  
"Salisbury."

"Am I allowed to know names? James has been rather cagey about that?"  
"Yes well, I imagine Snape wouldn't want his name thrown about. Tall, skinny, dark hair going grey, black eyes and a nose you couldn't miss."  
"No one has truly black eyes." Eve pointed out.  
"Close enough." Q shrugged. "George will probably be there but he might be late. Red hair, brown eyes, outgoing and a prankster. Neville wasn't sure if he could find time. Brown hair, brown eyes, very calm, gentle nature but anyone who tries to push him around soon learn not to. Luna? Well who really knows with her. She's... unique. Blonde hair, blue eyes, petite."  
"Sounds like your sort of thing Bond." Eve teased.

"Hardly, there is something distinctly ... otherworldly about her. If that's the right term." James glanced at Q a little uncertainty.  
"She see the world differently to most that's for sure." Q smiled fondly. "People make the mistake of thinking she's stupid or absent minded or even a bit mental but she is far more perceptive then most give her credit for."

"Anyone else?" Eve asked.  
"No, that's all.

\---007---

George and Eve got along alarmingly well. Somehow the fact that Snape took George's ear off, "You got in the way you stupid, daft child?" and Eve having shot James. "You wouldn't get out of the way!" cemented a strange, instant friendship.

Explanations were made that James was trying to get back information stolen by a man in which Neville had given Q a look.  
"Still trying to save the world then are you mate?" At which Q had only given a slightly feral and astonishingly sexy grin in response.

It was going surpringly well, even though James strongly suspected that the stories of Q's past were being heavily edited. Luna never did turn up but no one seemed surprised and they all tumbled out of the pub laughing, all of them heading toward where Q had left the car. Which of cause when things went wrong. Plensantly tipsy but by no means drunk, James thought he noticed the men first, a gang pouring out of a couple of vans with weapons. James wasn't sure what their target or aim had been for tonight but he rather thought by the reaction of everyone else around him, those plans were about to come to a grinding halt. 

Snape's dark eyes were sharp and watchful, Neville calm but alert, giving James an even stronger impression he'd been a soldier at some point. George's smile turning strangely wolfish with a bright and suddenly dangerous glint in his eye and Q had a determined look in his face.

"George? Neville?" Q's voice had a warning note to it.  
"We know, no funny business." George spoke casually as he eyed the men. "How come Snape doesn't get a warning?"  
"Because Q knows I don't need one." Snape said coolly.  
"Q, they don't have weapons." James warned Q. He never went anywhere without a gun and neither did Eve, but the others?

"They don't need guns James." Q said with quiet confidence. "A little flash and bang won't hurt though right George?"  
"My pleasure." George grinned and throw something at the gang of men who stood still, clutching at their weapons wearily as if knowing they might need them and not for their original intentions. It was all the warning James got before the brilliant light of what had to be a firework of some kind lit up.

It was something of a blur after that. Snape was the fastest and James had to admit he was somewhat amazed at how quickly the man could move. James suspected knives were involved but it was too fast and too dark to be sure. Neville was also fast, dis-arming men with a strangely creepy, methodical calm using nothing more then pure, brute strength. James shot two and while Eve was busy with a third, George deployed another firework. 

Neville shouted and went down when he got hit by a taser and then James saw Snape move almost blindingly fast and did something James had to see to believe. The blue light of the taser flickered clearly in the darkness, lighting up at the point where it touched Snape, the man's expression displaying quiet clearly the pain but Snape did something James had thought near impossible, he kept moving.

"How did you do that?" James asked once the police arrived and Eve was handling their questions. "The taser?"  
"How many times do you think I've been tortured?" Snape gave a grim, mean little smile. "Nothing can compare to the sort of pain I've been subjected to over the years."


	7. Dangerous friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to add a new dangerous friend for Q to know. 006 aka Alex Travelyn. Just in time for M's funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dangerous mingling of two worlds happening here. I am still trying to figure out how Snape might react to Alex. It's bad enough James shares the same name as James Potter and maybe it's me but Alex and Sirus seem to have simular personalities. Wil James ever get a chance alone with Q? This seems to be turning into a slow burn.

Neville and George left to find their own way home but Snape piled in the back of Q's car with Eve, who even though she'd swapped sides, still had trouble opening her door while Snape had no issue what so ever.

Snape lifted an eyebrow when the door she opened creaked in protest.  
"Eve made some unfortunate remarks about the car." Q told him as the car thrummed to life.  
"Ah." Snape nodded and then added. "Still haven't lost your ability to find danger have you Q?"  
"Nope." Q grinned slightly. "Though my role these days is more trying to get people out of whatever dangerous situations they get themselves into." Q gave James a wry look.  
"You say that like I look for trouble." James protested.  
"Don't you?" Eve chimed in with a grin of her own. "Q you really need less dangerous friends."  
"So you don't want to be my friend?" Q asked casually.  
"Well I didn't say that." Eve chuckled.

Q dropped Eve off near her place before he parked near Grimmauld place again.  
"Bond?" Q gave him a pleading look.   
"My name is James, I just killed people for you, that's good enough to be on first name basis don't you think?" James heaved a sigh but obligingly closed his eyes.   
"James." Q spoke the name with some reluctance. "Remember the address?"

"Of course." James allowed Q to guide him out the car.  
"Just concentrate on that." Q directed as once again James was guided to the front door and then inside, he could feel Snape's presence shadowing from behind but he no longer felt wary of the man. Which considering he'd just seen for himself just how lethal Snape was, was somewhat remarkable.

"There." Q said as the front door closed and James opened his eyes with some relief.  
"I fail to understand what the big deal is." He grumbled.  
"You wouldn't." Snape snarked. There was a flutter of feathers and the owl Regulus swooped down to land on Snape's shoulder. Without missing a beat Snape reached into a pocket to offer it something which it took with evident delight. Gold eyes peered at James almost expectantly.  
"Sorry, don't have anything." James apologised, the owl didn't look very impressed, turning it's head so it was facing almost completely the other direction. "You know, I thought you'd be more of a cat person Q." The owl screached in protest.

"I spent enough times around cats when my Aunt and Uncle use to foist me off to Mrs Figgs." Q rolled his eyes.   
"Let's not forget Ms Umbridge and her obsession with cats." Snape drawled. Q curiously enough shuddered.  
"Did you have to remind me?" He rubbed at a scar on his left hand.   
"What is that?" Now his attention had been drawn to it, James thought he could make out letters.

Q sighed but offered it too him.  
"I must not tell lies. That insane bitch made me etch it onto my skin."  
"She got away with that?" James peered at the letters with some disbelief.  
"We had some questionable teachers at school." Q gave Snape a wry look.

"At least I didn't try to kill you." Snape smirked.  
"Not that you hadn't wanted to sometimes." Q grinned and then stepped toward the kitchen. "I'll put the kettle on."  
"What the hell went on at that school?" James found himself asking Snape.  
"Everything." Snape said coolly before he stepped past. James blew out frustrated breath but followed.

\---007---

Alex Travelyn arrived back in time for M's funeral. James had so far managed not to think to hard about her death. Trying to unravel the mystery of Q had kept him rather pre-occupied. He hadn't met someone who intrigued him this much in quite some time. Most times he figured out people's secrets rather quickly and most of the time he lost interest in them rather quickly. Q however just seemed to have more secrets and unlike most people in James's life so far wasn't actively trying to hid the fact that he had secrets but actually trusting James not to pry to hard. He was also getting somewhat annoyed that he hadn't really had a chance to get Q alone by himself for any real length of time. 

"So what's this I hear about you getting our Boss killed?" Alex grinned at him the moment before the big Russian engulfed him in a hug. "Did they recruit our new Q directly out of uni? I could squash him with one hand."  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." James smiled warmly at one of his closest friends. Alex studied him a moment with his green eyes before a shit-eating grin crossed his face.  
"Why James, he isn't your usual type at all."  
James rolled his eyes.  
"Outside of missions I don't have a type. I told you that."  
"Yeah but even then you tend to prefer leggy females with intelligence and a past. Our Quatermater is intelligent enough but the rest of it? Come on James, it looks like the most dangerous thing he's ever handled is a toaster."  
"I've seen what you can do with toasters." James reminded with a laugh. Alex playfully swipped him on the back if the head.  
"You know what I mean." 

James did know what Alex meant. He'd made the same mistake the first time he met Q.  
"Look, there is a lot more to him then you might think. I'm still trying to work it all out but he went through some shit during school."

Alex gave him a look of disbelief.  
"Everyone goes through shit at school, that hardly makes him capable of the job."  
"In this case I think it makes him more than capable. You should meet some of his friends." James threw an arm around Alex's shoulder. "In fact, let's take Eve out for coffee and she can back me up when I tell you one of his teachers was some sort of double agent."


	8. James and Q

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James finally gets some time alone with Q.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's has taken me weeks and several failed attempts trying to write M's funeral before I finally realised that I really needed to give James and Q some time alone together. Hope everyone else is surviving this absolutely crazy time. Here is a little teaser to make up for my absence, hope to have some more up soon.
> 
> Update: My doctor has put me on anti-depressant which seems to be helping a lot. Asking for help is the bravest thing anyone can do, don't be afraid to do it.

The fact that after M's funeral, James, Alec, Eve and Q as well as a few other went out together for drinks wasn't surprising. James was a little surprised that some hours later somehow it ended up been just him and Q relaxing in a booth together.

"Would you like to come around to my place?" James offered because he really didn't want to go though the whole process of getting into Q's place. It was a bit ridiculous actually, did Q really believe that just because James closed his eyes, he wouldn't know exactly where Q lived?

Q stated at him a moment before relpying "Tell me, does that line normally work for you?"  
James had to laugh, realising himself that his words could be interpreted in completely the wrong way.  
"Not quite what I had in mind actually. Or at least not tonight."  
"Just to be clear, I have no interest in been one of your love them and leave them flings."  
James flinched slightly.  
"Understood."

***007****

James silently wondered what he was doing as he allowed a tipsy Q to stumble into his apartment. 

"Drink?" He asked even though he wondered if Q should drink anymore. "Scotch, gin, whiskey?"

"Shame you haven't got firewhiskey. I could use some right now." Q staggered over to a window. "How do you open these?"

"Q, there is no such thing as firewhiskey and those windows don't open." Bond decided to skip the alcohol and found the orange juice.

"Oh." Q's hands fell from where he he'd been trying to open them. "Where can I open a window?"

"The windows are not meant to open, there is the balcony..."

"Right. Balcony." Q nodded, nearly tripping over the furniture before fumbling with the latch for the doors. 

"It's locked Q." James tried to contain his laughter as he poured out two glasses of juice. He had no idea Q was such a light weight, juice would help wouldn't it? It had water content along with the bonus of getting something into Q's stomach even if it wasn't food.

By the time James was done Q had actually figured out how to open the doors and now stood on his balcony.

"Better?" He asked as he came over and carefully handed Q a glass.

"Hm? Oh. This is for Reg, my owl. He tends to come looking for me if I am not home by a certain time."

"Your owl? Q, we are basically on the other side of London, I doubt your owl could find you here." James's lips twitched.

Unfortunately Q saw him and scowled.

"Regulus can find me anywhere."

"I am sure he could." James agreed as he sat down, the view out here over the city really was rather nice. Q sipped at his juice.

"What did you put in this?" Q asked as he leaned against the wall, looking out over the many lights.

"Nothing, I think you've had enough."

Q frowned slightly and sipped at his drink again.

"Maybe you are right. I keep thinking about the moment Snape killed Dumbledore. The parallel between what happened then and what happened with M and Silva.... it's a little uncanny actually."

"Dumbledore?" James looked at Q in some surprise, wondering if Q would actually tell him something. " Like the barkeeper, Abernathy?"

"They were brothers." Q sighed. "Albus Dumbledore was my headmaster. I thought Snape had betrayed us."

James sipped at his juice, thinking over what he had managed to put together.

"Who was Tom?"


	9. Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Q tries to explain without telling to much

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." Q said before striding to the balcany's railing , staring out across the city. The silence hung for a long moment and James wondered if he should break it when Q turned around to lean against the railing.

"I can't tell you everything, Some secrets are not mine to share."  
"Fair enough."

Q took in a deep breath. " Most of what I know about Tom, I was told by Albus Dumbledore. I won't bore you too much. By the time Dumbledore met him, Tom was 11 and even by that age he was displaying some disturbing behaviours. Manipulative , charming, a lack of empathy. A girl called Murtle became his first victim, he was only 16. He created something like a cult, gathered a group of loyal followers, anyone who stood against them faced death, torture and certain people were considered inferior and killed simply for existing."

Q fell silent, clearly fighting his emotions.

"Which were your parents?" James asked gently.  
"Fighters." A sad sort of smile crossed Q's face. "I was only 18 months old when he came to their house and killed them. He tried to kill me." Q reached up the rub his forehead. 

"Snape?"  
Q grimaced.  
"Mum and him grew up in the same neighbourhood, were friends before they both went to school. Snape, well I won't get into it too much but he had feelings for her obviously. He also made friends with those who shared Tom's views. They had a falling out over it all and Snape ended up joining Tom's cult. My parents married, had me, they became part of group trying to fight Tom. They had to go into hiding, Snape overheard an address without knowing who lived there and then when he did find out, he did try to warn them but they were betrayed anyway. He tried to plea Tom for my mother's life but..." Q shrugged. 

"Tom disappeared for a few years but it was only a matter of time before he came back..." Q paused, turning his head as if listening and then held out his hand just in time for the owl Regulus to land on his forearm. Q smiled and scratched his owl between the two tuffs sticking out of its head like horns. "Anyway Snape became a Double Agent, I owe him my life a number of times over and so do many others. Do you have anything in the fridge?"

"I have sausages in the freezer." James offered, staring at the owl in some disbelief.  
"That'll do. Do you mind?"  
"No, of course not."  
Q gave him a wry smile.  
"I told you he always finds me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a year 2020 is turning out to be. Everything starts shutting down in March, my now former partner's verbal abuse gets abruptly worse so that by April I finally leave. Now six months later and after four months of antidepressant pills and psychologists I am finally starting to feel myself again.
> 
> You might not want help but you might know you need it. Just know that if you do, you might need to push yourself a little and find the strength to ask.


	10. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James gets captured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations on surviving 2020. Here is a little teaser.

It was never a good thing when you'd been shut in a cell for so long you weren't sure how much time had past or what day it might be. James's attempt to infiltrate an underground organisation MI6 didn't know much about yet, in order to learn more about it, hadn't gone so well. When the door of the cell was finally opened, James was actually some what relieved.

The man who strode in was rather unremarkable in appearance. Brown hair, brown eyes, average height and weight with rather wirey muscles. In one hand he held Bonds phone, in the other he held a stick. "Leave!" The man demanded to whoever was outside before shutting but not locking the cell door. James eyebrow rose, his chances of getting out of here had just gone up rather dramatically.

"You are going to tell me everything." The man pointed the stick rather threatening at him. James had been threatened, and tortured, by all sorts of things by this point. A stick was novel. The man also rather unfortunately got to close, he obviously wasn't expecting James to move so quickly, or to use his feet. James had gotten out of his chains ages ago and he made rather quick work of it.

He picked up his phone, battery was low but not too bad since no one had actually been using it. A check of the date told him how much time he'd lost and it wasn't as long as it'd felt like. Nothing new there. He decided to bring up Q on his contact list.

"Bond! Where are you! What happened?" Q hissed into his ear and James closed his eyes with a sigh. It was so good to hear a familar, well any, voice again. He really had been shut up for too long.

"I've been locked up." James brought the camera feature up so he could record and transmit. "I'm in a cell, this helpful chap opened the cell door and has forgotten to lock it." James turned the camera to his new cell mate. "He threatened me with a stick." Q drew up a sudden sharp breath when James brought the camera around onto it.

"Shit."

"What? What is it?"

"He doesn't look familiar, not that that means anything, is he carrying a flask of any sort?"

"Hang on." James began to pull clothing aside so he could get a good look.

"James! His forearm!"

"Yeah what, he's got a tattoo." James continued to search.

"That's not just any tattoo! What the hell is he doing with that on his arm!" James took another look at the rather unimaginative looking skull with a snake twisting out of it.

"It doesn't look like any gang tatoo that I have ever seen."

Q made a frustrated sound. "Of course not! They're not suppose to be around anymore! They disappeared when he did. For him to still have it that would have to mean he got an actual tattoo."

"As opposed too?" James asked a little dryly.

"Never mind, does he have a flask?"

"Yep, found it. It's pretty full too. Why?"

Q drew in a deep breath. "Right, James do you trust me?"

"About as much as I trust anyone."

"Enough to not ask too many questions?"

"Why?"

"I need you to wait, it shouldn't be longer than an hour but I need to know who he is and if I don't Snape might know."

"Snape." James repeated. "That tattoo has something to do with Tom?" He asked.

"All his followers had one."

"Ah, that scar one Snape's forearm?"

"Yeah."

"So I am waiting up to an hour so you can contact Snape?"

"Not exactly, look it's kind of hard to explain but it might be better if you see it for yourself in any case and that way I'm not breaking any rules by telling you."

"See what exactly?"

"Just wait, please?" James groaned, he really wanted to get out of here already.

"All right, fine. This better be worth it Q."


End file.
